IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i5p1219-d1603701.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Visualization Investigation of Heat Transfer Behavior in a Flat-Tube Shaped Heat Pipe

Author

Listed:
  • Jue Li

    (CIMC Enric Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., Nanjing 210048, China
    School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China)

  • Ruofan Wang

    (School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China)

  • Ting Xia

    (School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China)

  • Haijun Chen

    (School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China)

Abstract

Unveiling the heat transfer behavior of solar collectors in concentrating solar thermochemical energy storage is crucial for harnessing full-spectrum solar light. In this study, a glass Flat Tube-Shaped Heat Pipe (FT-SHP) was developed, and a visualization experimental platform was established to investigate its internal operation mechanisms and heat transfer characteristics. The results revealed that the liquid filling ratio (FR) significantly affects the heat transfer performance, with an optimal value identified as 25%. As the heat flow temperature in the evaporation section increased, both the Bubble Growing Frequency (BGF) and Droplet Condensation Reflux Period (DCRP) decreased, leading to a reduction in thermal resistance. Conversely, an increase in the cooling flow rate resulted in opposite trends in BGF and DCRP within the tube, while both the Reynolds ( Re ) number and thermal resistance decreased. As such, an empirical correlation between thermal resistance and Re number was derived, demonstrating a nonlinear relationship between thermal resistance, BGF, and DCRP. These findings provide important insights for the design of heat pipes, with the potential to enhance the efficiency and reliability of solar collectors.

Suggested Citation

  • Jue Li & Ruofan Wang & Ting Xia & Haijun Chen, 2025. "Visualization Investigation of Heat Transfer Behavior in a Flat-Tube Shaped Heat Pipe," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-12, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:5:p:1219-:d:1603701
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/5/1219/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/5/1219/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Naghavi, M.S. & Ong, K.S. & Badruddin, I.A. & Mehrali, Mohammad & Metselaar, H.S.C., 2017. "Thermal performance of a compact design heat pipe solar collector with latent heat storage in charging/discharging modes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 101-115.
    2. Alvarez Rivero, M. & Rodrigues, D. & Pinheiro, C.I.C. & Cardoso, J.P. & Mendes, L.F., 2022. "Solid–gas reactors driven by concentrated solar energy with potential application to calcium looping: A comparative review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    3. Koepf, E. & Alxneit, I. & Wieckert, C. & Meier, A., 2017. "A review of high temperature solar driven reactor technology: 25years of experience in research and development at the Paul Scherrer Institute," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 620-651.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chen, Chen & Jiao, Fan & Lu, Buchu & Liu, Taixiu & Long, Yibiao & Liu, Qibin & Jin, Hongguang, 2025. "Thermochemical water splitting cycles for hydrogen production: Perspectives for thermodynamic approaches," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 377(PC).
    2. Rahul R. Bhosale, 2023. "Recent Developments in Ceria-Driven Solar Thermochemical Water and Carbon Dioxide Splitting Redox Cycle," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-30, August.
    3. Abanades, Stéphane & André, Laurie, 2018. "Design and demonstration of a high temperature solar-heated rotary tube reactor for continuous particles calcination," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 1310-1320.
    4. Yadav, Deepak & Banerjee, Rangan, 2022. "Thermodynamic and economic analysis of the solar carbothermal and hydrometallurgy routes for zinc production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    5. Zhu, Qibin & Xuan, Yimin & Liu, Xianglei & Yang, Lili & Lian, Wenlei & Zhang, Jin, 2020. "A 130 kWe solar simulator with tunable ultra-high flux and characterization using direct multiple lamps mapping," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    6. Ma, Zhiwen & Davenport, Patrick & Saur, Genevieve, 2022. "System and technoeconomic analysis of solar thermochemical hydrogen production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 294-308.
    7. Rahul R. Bhosale & Shelby Adams & Zachary Allen & Gabrielle Bennett & Edvinas Berezniovas & Taylor Bishop & Michael Bonnema & Sequoia Clutter & Ryan Fagan & Jordan Halabrin & Mason Hobbs & Daniel Hunt, 2024. "Assessing the Viability of GeO 2 /GeO Redox Thermochemical Cycle for Converting CO 2 into Solar Fuels," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-20, March.
    8. Gabriel Zsembinszki & Aran Solé & Camila Barreneche & Cristina Prieto & A. Inés Fernández & Luisa F. Cabeza, 2018. "Review of Reactors with Potential Use in Thermochemical Energy Storage in Concentrated Solar Power Plants," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-23, September.
    9. Pan, Ruming & Yang, Youwei & Lougou, Bachirou Guene & Wu, Lianxuan & Wang, Wei & Guo, Yanming & Shuai, Yong, 2024. "Thermal performance evaluation of a novel solar-driven pyrolysis reactor," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 313(C).
    10. Alshukri, Mohammed J. & Eidan, Adel A. & Najim, Saleh Ismail, 2021. "Thermal performance of heat pipe evacuated tube solar collector integrated with different types of phase change materials at various location," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 635-646.
    11. Joo, Hong-Jin & Kwak, Hee-Youl & Kong, Minsuk, 2022. "Effect of twisted tape inserts on thermal performance of heat pipe evacuated-tube solar thermal collector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PB).
    12. Wang, Zeyu & Diao, Yanhua & Zhao, Yaohua & Chen, Chuanqi & Liang, Lin & Wang, Tengyue, 2020. "Thermal performance of integrated collector storage solar air heater with evacuated tube and lap joint-type flat micro-heat pipe arrays," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    13. Pascual, S. & Lisbona, P. & Bailera, M. & Romeo, L.M., 2021. "Design and operational performance maps of calcium looping thermochemical energy storage for concentrating solar power plants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    14. Jiří Bojanovský & Vítězslav Máša & Igor Hudák & Pavel Skryja & Josef Hopjan, 2022. "Rotary Kiln, a Unit on the Border of the Process and Energy Industry—Current State and Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-34, October.
    15. Lucía Arribas & José González-Aguilar & Manuel Romero, 2018. "Solar-Driven Thermochemical Water-Splitting by Cerium Oxide: Determination of Operational Conditions in a Directly Irradiated Fixed Bed Reactor," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-15, September.
    16. Chopra, K. & Tyagi, V.V. & Pandey, A.K. & Sari, Ahmet, 2018. "Global advancement on experimental and thermal analysis of evacuated tube collector with and without heat pipe systems and possible applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 351-389.
    17. Essa, Mohamed A. & Rofaiel, Ibrahim Y. & Ahmed, Mohamed A., 2020. "Experimental and Theoretical Analysis for the Performance of Evacuated Tube Collector Integrated with Helical Finned Heat Pipes using PCM Energy Storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    18. Malek Msheik & Sylvain Rodat & Stéphane Abanades, 2021. "Methane Cracking for Hydrogen Production: A Review of Catalytic and Molten Media Pyrolysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-35, May.
    19. Kumar, P. Manoj & Mylsamy, K., 2020. "A comprehensive study on thermal storage characteristics of nano-CeO2 embedded phase change material and its influence on the performance of evacuated tube solar water heater," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 662-676.
    20. Miguel Castro Oliveira & Muriel Iten & Henrique A. Matos, 2022. "Review on Water and Energy Integration in Process Industry: Water-Heat Nexus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-24, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:5:p:1219-:d:1603701. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.